Combined funnel and measure.



I L. N. RITTEN. COMBINED FUNNEL AND MEASURE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1910.,

987,826, Patented Mar.28,1911.

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LOUIS N. RITTEN, OF MASON CITY, IOWA.

COMBINED FUNNEL AND MEASURE.

Speciiicahwvi Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

Application filed January 29, 1910. Serial No. 540,905.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis J. RITTEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mason City, in the county of Cerro Gordo and State'of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Combined Funnel and Measure, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined funnel and measure, the object being to provide a funnel with a valve for closing the spout so that the liquid poured into the same can be held therein until said valve is opened in order to allow the same to pass out.

Another object of the invention is to provide a funnel which is formed of such a size that it will hold adefinite amount such as a pint, quart or gallon, or any amount which may be desired so that when the same is filled a person using the same will know the amount of liquid therein so that it will not be necessary to measure the same before pouring the liquid into the funnel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a funnel with a vent tube, whereby the air within the vessel into which the liquid is being poured will be allowed to escape.

A further object of the invention is to provide a funnel with a spring actuated valve which is normally held in a closed position so that when liquid is poured into the funnel, it will be held therein until said valve is opened, said valve being operated by a pivoted lever mounted above the handle of the funnel in such a position that the same can be readily operated by the thumb when a person is holding the funnel by the handle.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for locking the valve in an opened position against the tension of the spring so that in filling a vessel it will not be necessary to hold the valve open while the liquid is running out of the funnel as by pressing down on the lever and locking the same the contents will be allowed to pass out of the funnel into the vessel.

With these various objects in view, my invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, pointed out in the claim and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved funnel. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1, and, Fig. 4: is a detail vertical section taken on the line ll of Fig. 1.

In carrying out my improved invention, I employ a conical body A which is provided with a spout B having a vent tube C ar ranged therein which extends out through one side of the spout B and is secured to the body as clearly shown at C said vent tube O having its lower end cut off obliquely as shown at C to prevent liquid from being drawn up by the air passing through the vent tube.

The conical body A is provided with a cylindrical rim portion A and the body is formed of such a size that it will either hold a half pint, pint, quart or gallon, it of course being understood that it can be formed to hold any quantity desired. Secured to the body is a handle D so that the same can be readily carried from place to place.

A valve seat E is formed in the lower portion of the body A at the junction with the spout B in which is adapted to be seated a valve B which is provided with a valve stem F which extends through a guide-eye or sleeve G of the cross bar G secured across the lower portion of the body and said valve stem is provided with an oblique upper end. F which extends parallel with the side of the body A and is provided with an apertured end F 3 which is pivotally mounted between the walls of a lever I, which is pivotally mounted on the cross bar J of an in verted U-shaped bearing member J, which is secured to the upper portion A of the body by solder in alinement with the handle D, and it will be seen that by pressing down on the outer end of the lever I, the inner end will be drawn upwardly so as to raise the valve F oil of the seat E so that the liquid within the funnel can readily pass out through the spout. The free end of the lever I is provided with a concaved portion I adapted to receive the thumb when the handle is grasped by the hand so that by pressingdown on the lever with the thumb the valve can be readily operated. The valve stem F is surrounded by a coil spring K between the guide member Gr and the valve F so that the valve will be held seated at all times.

To insure the valve being held in a closed position tightly I provide a U-shaped spring L for actuating the lever I, said spring having its closed end working freely over the inner end of the lever and the side bars of the spring are coiled as clearly shown at L and extend through openings formed in the cylindrical portion A of the body A and are secured on top of the handle D by solder so that the same will be held firmly in position and it will be seen that by this construction, the valve F will be held in a closed position by the spring K and by the spring L so that all danger of the liquid leaking out of the funnel when the valve is in a closed position is prevented.

In order that the valve may be locked in a raised position after the funnel has been filled and placed in a vessel, I provide the lever I with a lip M which co-acts with a toothed bracket N secured upon the handle D so that when the lever I is forced downwardly by the thumb it will be caught by one of. the teeth of the bracket N so as to lock the same in a depressed position and it will be seen that by this construction it will not be necessary for the operator to stand over the funnel and hold the valve open while the liquid is passing into the vessel to be filled.

Arranged within the lower portion of the body of the funnel over the cross bar G is a convex screen 0, which is provided with a central opening through which the valve stem F works and said screen forms a strainer for the funnel and also serves the purpose of preventing any sediment from getting on the valve and it will be seen that by this arrangement all danger of the valve getting caught so as to prevent the same from closing tightly is prevented.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a funnel which is especially adapted to be used as a measure, said funnel being provided with a vent tube whereby the liquid passing into the vessel to be filled will pass into the same Without any danger of the vessel being air bound. It will also be seen that by providing a funnel with a springactuated valve, which is operated by a pivoted lever, which can be locked so as to hold the valve in an open position a great deal of time is saved in filling vessels as with funnels of this character now in use it is necessary for the user to hold the valve open until the contents of the funnel has passed into the vessel to be filled.

What I claim is I A combination funnel and measure comprising a body provided with a spout, and having a valve seat at the junction of the spout with the body, a handle secured to said body, a bearing member extending upwardly from said handle, a lever pivotally mounted on said bearing member having an outwardly projecting lip, and a U shaped spring secured to the body and handle provided with coils and having its closed end arranged over the inner end of said lever, a valve mounted in said body to co-act with said valve seat, a valve stem extending upwardly from said valve and connected to said lever, and a yielding toothed bracket extending upwardly from said handle coacting with the lip of said lever for locking the same in its adjusted position.

LOUIS N. RITTEN.

Vitnesses G120. F. HUGHES, V. R. BOCKWASTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

